Out Houston Mayor Tells GOP Haters to ’Get Over’ Her Wedding

Houston Mayor Annise Parker tied the knot with her longtime partner Kathy Hubbard earlier this month but has received some criticism from members of the Republican Party, Houston's KHOU reports.

"I am not shocked that Mayor Parker decided to elope to California for a marriage that is unconstitutional in Texas. This is obviously part of a larger strategy of hers to turn Texas into California," State Senator Dan Patrick said.

But Parker had some responses to her Republican haters.

"Dan Patrick's running a political campaign," she said. "And he wants to make the gay community a whipping boy in that political campaign. And he thought I was an appropriate target. He doesn't know what he's talking about. And I don't think that's unusual."

Harris County Republican Chairman Jared Woodfill made similar remarks about Parker's wedding. She also had words for him, Towle Road points out.

"You don't commit 23 years of your life to someone to make a political statement...I took four days off. I had to leave my home state and make a little wedge of time to marry the woman I love. They can get over it."

Parker and Hubbard married in a sunset ceremony at a private residence in Palm Springs, Calif earlier this month. A small group of family and friends, including Parker's mother and Hubbard's sister, were at the wedding.

"This is a very happy day for us," Parker said in a statement. "We have had to wait a very long time to formalize our commitment to each other. Kathy has been by my side for more than two decades, helping to raise a family, nurture my political career and all of the other ups and downs and life events that come with a committed relationship. She is the love of my life, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life married to her."